Get yourself a Hella lense instead available at JC Whitney and install a Silverstar light bulb. Has better lighting system. Then you can really upgrade for a real HID later if you choose to do so.
I bought a set of these on Evilbay some time ago. My impression of them:
They look pretty good right out of the box, the box with all the Chinese on it that is..but then who cares if they work well.
As far as how they work?
I have no clue yet because they are IMPOSSIBLE to fit into the *stock* Fiero headlight buckets, (the metal part). The reason being that the headlights have this big round boss on the back for the bulb recepticle over which goes an even bigger round gray rubber plug / seal . The only way these suckers are going to fit into a Fiero headlight bucket is to CUT THE METAL away in the bucket where the round part and the rubber seal and connector on the back of the light needs to protrude. I put the headlights on the shelf until I find something that fits in the stock headlight bucket, or I'm ready to butcher up some headlight parts to make them fit.
Randy
------------------ Everyone thinks I'm psychotic, except for my friends deep inside the earth.
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03:36 PM
FieroBoy13 Member
Posts: 220 From: North Aurora, IL Registered: Jul 2006
Hey Nick, once you get the H4 converssions, then you should look into getting some HID's. I have a set here at the shop, I'm having Adam " x_thumpr_x " trying them out. I'll let you know what he thinks of them.
Thanks Joe
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03:24 PM
kooljess Member
Posts: 1135 From: FIEROS WEST USA Registered: Jul 2004
Hey Nick, once you get the H4 converssions, then you should look into getting some HID's. I have a set here at the shop, I'm having Adam " x_thumpr_x " trying them out. I'll let you know what he thinks of them.
Thanks Joe
Real HID's is the only way to go. HID's or nothing at all my opinion anyway.
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06:28 PM
fiero_silva Member
Posts: 1493 From: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Registered: Jun 2003
Real HID's is the only way to go. HID's or nothing at all my opinion anyway.
ONLY if you do a proper HID retrofit. Just throwing HIDs into stock or halogen designed headlights is BAD! HIDs should always be used in a housing or projector DESIGNED specifically for them. And just for the record, 98% of the stuff on ebay that says HID has nothing to do with HID at all!
just curious, what makes HID bulbs into halogen housings "BAD" ? any specifics? i have no knowledge of the negatives in this case...
thanks!
Halogen housings were not designed to be able to "control" the light output of an HID bulb. What ends up happening is you will very likely have very bad glare to oncoming traffic, as well as a very uneven light output with "hot spots" and "cold spots"
Let me grab a few pics from google to explain it better.....
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09:45 AM
fiero_silva Member
Posts: 1493 From: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Registered: Jun 2003
This is a good exemple of HIDs in a halogen designed headlight. Note the glare in the pic, that would be almost blinding to oncoming drivers:
Next is a pretty good clean and consistant light output of HID projectors. Note how the cutoff line is good and straight. That line where it gets higher on the right hand side is OK. It is designed to illuminate the right side of the road more when driving on the right side of the road (in north america). Because it is on the right side, it will not annoy other drivers. That is the differance between LHD and RHD HIDs that you may come across. In america we drive on the right side of the road (in LHD car) so you would want a LHD headlight.. It is not super commun to come across RHD HIDs, usually if it doesn't say which it is, it can be generic or most likely LHD.
Next is a gread exemple of just throwing HIDs into halogen headlights. You end up with a very spotty light output as well as glare above where the cutoff line should be. That glare blinds other drivers when you drive.
This next pic is an acceptable cutoff of HID bulbs in Halogen housings. It will not annoy other drivers, but note how there are two "hot spots" in the light output. Also note the odd vertical line of light output near the right side, this could annoy oncoming drivers...
THis is another good clean cutoff. Note the consistant light output, no glare, no hotspots. Also again note that this is an LHD HID setup due to the cutoff line getting higher on the right side.
Next is just horible output. Useless color, horible glare. You may be able to see parts of the road better (or so you think) but you WILL be annoying the F#*$ out of every driver you encounter head on:
Hmmm.. would it be possible to use an old school technique to get rid of the unwanted glare? Cover up the top 1/8 or 1/4 of the head lamp like you see on some of these restore 50's vehicles. Friend did HID's to his VW Golf and had the same glare effect. Then he bought those "Euro Eye Lids" for his lights and it cut off alot of the upper glare to the lights.
I got a set of those and put them in my 87 coupe... wasn't easy to fit in the buckets but they look great. The bulbs that come with them... just toss them in the trash or try reselling them. They are crap and you can't see squat with them. Just get some normal wattage clear bulbs. With that little blue bulb in the base the light looks tinted anyways.
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05:02 PM
x-thumpr-x Member
Posts: 1992 From: Toronto, Ontario Registered: Aug 2001
Well, we just put the HID's in the car this afternoon. So far so good, but haven't had a chance to drive at night yet. Only thing that happened was my passenger side motor decided to go on the fritz just after installing them. I have a spare motor for it, just have to find it now
Nick, I'm using BOSH H4 lights & housing. Crappy tire used to carry them but stopped. I've still seen them in a few stores though. Normal price is $90 and worth it. There's no fuse with them fitting in the back sleeve and I didn't have to cut the back tabs off them either. Was able to fir the rubber surround in nicely from the back. This made the work to install the HID's much easier since I already had the light housing.
------------------ 14.217 @ 156KPH
[This message has been edited by x-thumpr-x (edited 07-27-2006).]
I have this set of lights I had them in for a short time. I like the sealed beam halogens so I took them out. I think I used them maybe 3 times. They really refelect signs and animals eyes. I would sell them if anyone want them.
In one older post on this forum, a yellow coupe I beleave has a set of Projector H4 replacement lights for the Fiero. I know some one makes them but don't know who?? I'll see if I can find the post.
Thanks Joe
------------------ Race-Tech Automotive inc. & The Fiero Shop.
Specializing in Fiero performance 3800 swaps, custom 3800 and N* Aluminum flywheels, big Brakes, Engine rebuild, Aftermarket wheels, Bolt on performance parts, body enhancements, Racing seats, used Fiero parts, Authorized dealer for MOMO, SSBC, Powerdyne, Magnaflow Exhaust, Prothane, KVR Performance brake's and many more.....
Race-Tech now offers custom exhaust systems for any car or truck up to 3". You bring it we will build it.....
Any recommendations for a true HID converstion for our cars? I've always heard the real HID lights are several hundred dollars. Right now I'm using Silver Stars, and for regular sealed beams, they're impressive.
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10:47 AM
Rare87GT Member
Posts: 5046 From: Wichita, KS USA Registered: Oct 2001
For my 87GT, I did what most people say is a no no. I have HID's installed on my H4 conversion. The lighting is scattered a bit, but they look so nice and are so damn bright. On coming traffic has never flashed me, although lots of my friends say they are rather annoying. I was out in the country a few months ago, and I can tell you this, the lights are awesome. They work like a charm and I only have the low beam conversion. I can't imagine what high beams look like with HID's. I got the housings for $50 bucks off ebay a while back, and I have a HID kit that was about $300. It's the 4300k kit, which is the brightest and still blue from a distance and nice and bright white up close. I like the 6000k as well, but I wanted the brightest and from what I read 4300 was the brightest you could get, that comes on all stock cars. I dont see why everyone dogs doing what I did, it looks great, 10x better than silverstars, and well who wants to spend $600 on true HID housings just so it's a little cleaner light? Not me. I know everyone is going to say I'm wrong and I dont know what I'm talking about, but I have this kit on my car right now and it works fine, it's brighter than a stock HID setup, works for me. I have these on my flushmounts as well on my Formula, same result just not as good as the popups that's for sure.
-Amir
------------------ 1 of 2: Graphite Grey Pearl 87 GT 5 spd: 2.8L (Best 1/4 mile: 15.57@87mph, 2.0 60ft) 2 of 2: Ferrari Red 88 Formula/4T65EHD: 97 GTP Motor (Best 1/4 mile: 12.75@106mph, 1.77 60ft)
Any recommendations for a true HID converstion for our cars? I've always heard the real HID lights are several hundred dollars. Right now I'm using Silver Stars, and for regular sealed beams, they're impressive.
i picked up mine off ebay for 380. it included bulbs ballasts lenses all the electronics and everything from a 04 audi tt.
Annoying need to be changed to blinding. The majority of drivers being blinded by headlights have a tendacy to turn towards the light. So if you have HID's in Halogen housings then I have dibs on your tail light housings and wings cause sooner or later you'll be parting out the back half of the car. I don't care how you drive when blinded you're not the one to worry about, it the 1,000's of others that you intersect during your night driving that I'd be worried about.
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07:18 PM
Jul 29th, 2006
Mister Member
Posts: 1975 From: Calgary, Alberta, Canada Registered: Aug 2004
Annoying need to be changed to blinding. The majority of drivers being blinded by headlights have a tendacy to turn towards the light. So if you have HID's in Halogen housings then I have dibs on your tail light housings and wings cause sooner or later you'll be parting out the back half of the car. I don't care how you drive when blinded you're not the one to worry about, it the 1,000's of others that you intersect during your night driving that I'd be worried about.
If I can see better, my job is done. You guys act like it's a crime to do what I did. The problem is most people won't do it because they hear all these stories. It's like when people say the Getrag is strong enough to hold a 3800 superhcarged. No one has drove it hard enough to know if it's strong enough. I have HID's in my halogen housings and love it, next song.
First of all, for the umpteenth time at least... NONE of the lamps above are HID systems.
The Ebay system, like nearly all of them that show up there, is nothing but a scam. It is a Halogen based system that is not legal for street use in the U.S. Regardless of what the housings may claim or be marked, the lamps are illegal and violate FMVSS 571.108. ALL lamps exceeding 55W Low beam and 65W High beam are illegal in the headlight format used on Fiero and most other formats for that matter.
One of the only, if not the only, HID systems that directly replaces DOT lamps is Xenarc. This is a true HID system. Sylvania recently won a ruling against NHTSA/USDOT who was trying to block products like Xenarc. Unlike the Ebay scammers Xenarc has a fortune in R&D behind it and is unlikely to blind all the people driving toward you.
Also... Consumer Reports recently reviewed headlamps. The test focused on the later type lamp cartriges but still found that many products just didn't deliver and often were worse than simple OEM type replacements. Since the same claims are used to sell "sealed beam" upgrades, you can likely bet safe that the claims don't hold up any better for those.
Worse... Higher wattage lamps can cause problems for many cars due to the increased amperage drawn. The wiring and switch are built with a safety margin only for a little above the standard lamp draw. If you have any wiring problems at all, this can burn up parts and even set your car on fire.
The sad fact is most people whining about dim headlamps need to fix one or more wiring problems. Headlamps are already one of the largest amp eaters in a car. Any weak wires/connections will make them dim fast. Not even including the fact that lamps simply dim with age. Good ones take longer but still do that.
------------------ Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should. (Jurasic Park)
First of all, for the umpteenth time at least... NONE of the lamps above are HID systems.
The Ebay system, like nearly all of them that show up there, is nothing but a scam. It is a Halogen based system that is not legal for street use in the U.S. Regardless of what the housings may claim or be marked, the lamps are illegal and violate FMVSS 571.108. ALL lamps exceeding 55W Low beam and 65W High beam are illegal in the headlight format used on Fiero and most other formats for that matter.
One of the only, if not the only, HID systems that directly replaces DOT lamps is Xenarc. This is a true HID system. Sylvania recently won a ruling against NHTSA/USDOT who was trying to block products like Xenarc. Unlike the Ebay scammers Xenarc has a fortune in R&D behind it and is unlikely to blind all the people driving toward you.
Also... Consumer Reports recently reviewed headlamps. The test focused on the later type lamp cartriges but still found that many products just didn't deliver and often were worse than simple OEM type replacements. Since the same claims are used to sell "sealed beam" upgrades, you can likely bet safe that the claims don't hold up any better for those.
Worse... Higher wattage lamps can cause problems for many cars due to the increased amperage drawn. The wiring and switch are built with a safety margin only for a little above the standard lamp draw. If you have any wiring problems at all, this can burn up parts and even set your car on fire.
The sad fact is most people whining about dim headlamps need to fix one or more wiring problems. Headlamps are already one of the largest amp eaters in a car. Any weak wires/connections will make them dim fast. Not even including the fact that lamps simply dim with age. Good ones take longer but still do that.
After reading theogre's statement a few times to properly understand what he's saying, I have to agree he's right to a certain extent. I currently have HID's on my fiero BUT the Bosh housings I'm using where designed for halagen H4 bulbs. To have a full proper HID set-up, someone has to design a proper projector housing that will fit in the fiero to use with these HID kit's you can buy.
Page on how H.I.D.'s work. This page isn't directly aimed on automotive purpose but general knowledge & function of H.I.D. (High Intensity Discharge) This page eplains briefly that a 10W HID is equivelant to a 55W halogen, so I persoanlly can't see the HID's being more wattage then a standard halogen (from reading this page)
